Amateur demands now shape professional lives

I HARDLY raised an eyebrow this week at the ERSI report which found that inter-county players, on average, were committing 31 hours a week to what is a hobby.

If you are putting that amount of time into your sport, then the chances are that this is your professional career.

I am out of it now for a couple of years but the reality is that even if I was younger, I think the demands placed on you when you become a parent would make it almost possible.

That is one reason why so many inter-county players are either teachers or students, because time is the most precious thing of all to those playing at an elite level.

After that, you will find the biggest growth area career-wise is in the sports science sector, because again it complements what players do in their spare hours.

The GAA may be amateur but its demands have shaped our professional lives.